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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo 4/25/2012 RDA memo 1 TO: City of Oshkosh Redevelopment Authority FROM: Allen Davis, Community Development Director DATE: April 19, 2012 SUBJECT: April 25, 2012 Agenda Items Resolution 12-03 Authorize submittal of Waterways C ommission Financial Assistance Application for Development of the Former Boat Work s Property The RDA owns the former Boatworks Property at Michi gan and Fourth. In 2010 and 2011, the RDA razed the on-shore structures. This grant app lication would potentially help fund the redevelopment of the site’s public improvements inc luding boating facilities, shoreline improvements like seawalls, rip rap, and dredging. The City’s matching funds have already been budgete d in the 2012 and 2013 Capital Improvement program. RECOMMENDATION The RDA authorizes the submittal of a Waterways Com mission Grant Application. Resolution 12-04 Approve submittal of Stewardship G rant Application for Development of the Former Boat Works Property The RDA owns the former Boatworks Property at Michi gan and Fourth. In 2010 and 2011, the RDA razed the on-shore structures. This grant app lication would potentially help fund the redevelopment of the site’s public improvements inc luding trails, public facilities such as a parking lot, restroom and picnic facilities, and sh oreline/island improvements. The City’s matching funds have already been budgete d in the 2012 and 2013 Capital Improvement program. RECOMMENDATION The RDA authorizes the submittal of a Stewardship g rant application. 4/25/2012 RDA memo 2 Resolution 12-05 Approve Conditional Use Permit; Pl anned Development to Allow Community Garden in the 600 Block of Jefferson Stre et The proposed community garden is within the Near Ea st Neighborhood just east of Main Street between East Parkway Avenue and East Irving Avenue on the 600 block of Jefferson Street. The subject site is a .55 acre/2 3,760 square foot area including three parcels located mid block on the west side of the 600 block of Jefferson Street between East Parkway and East Irving Avenues. The area where the garden is proposed to be installed consists of currently vacant City of Oshkosh Redevelopment Auth ority parcels. The RDA owns six parcels on this block and this location will be a future re development site. At this time, nothing is planned for these parcels. The RDA pays to maintai n the site. Amber McCord and Joshua Nelson are with UW- Oshkosh and are the applicants. The proposed garden will provide an urban food syst em for residents in the area who may not have available garden space and will also provide a teaching tool for children in the area. The other intent of the garden is to provide an opportu nity for community building in the neighborhood, which is a goal outlined by the Commo n Council for Oshkosh neighborhoods. The garden, as designed, will have 4,500 square fee t of garden space with additional areas for future expansion. It will be bordered by timber boa rds to provide separation between the grass and garden and will utilize a wire rabbit fence tha t will keep small animals from eating the plants. It will also have rain barrels as a water s ource utilizing water run off from Main Street Resale. Fencing areas will be provided for controll ing access from Main Street and for garden use. In addition, the applicant is having the soil teste d for possible contamination by UW-Extension. In order to avoid issues with contaminated soil and to help with weed control, the applicants are proposing a “lasagna style” garden where instead of tilling the existing soil, new soil is layered on top of the existing soil. The garden and other areas not used for the garden will be maintained by the applicants. Maintenance will include weeding, mowing, trimming and keeping the site as orderly as possible. Due to possible future redevelopment of the area, t he use of the vacant parcels will be assessed and approved on a yearly basis. If the RDA feels th e applicant is not maintaining the site in a fashion that is compatible with the neighborhood, t he garden project may be terminated. The applicants held a meeting about the community g arden with 23 interested people attending (16 adults and seven children). The majority of the persons in attendance were from the Near East Neighborhood with a few attending from the Mid dle Village Neighborhood, which is on the other side of Main Street. The group discussed poss ible issues related to the garden including contamination and vandalism. The property owner at 675 Jefferson Street was involved in this meeting and stated he would be the “watch dog” for the group. They also discussed the logistics of the garden and that there would be no fee for pa rticipants. The group is planning another meeting on April 29 th and is hoping more people are interested in partic ipating. Funding for the garden is being provided by a UW-Os hkosh grant and the applicants are also requesting funding through the City’s Great Neighbo rhoods Program for collaborative efforts between the City and neighborhoods. 4/25/2012 RDA memo 3 Staff agrees with the applicant that this would be a good interim use for the vacant parcels. In addition, the draft Sustainability Plan suggests dr afting changes to the zoning ordinance to address community gardens as permitted or condition al land uses in all zoning districts and to work with residents to identify and convert vacant or city-owned land for neighborhood food plots and gardens. Both the Plan Commission and City Council have appr oved the CUP for the Community Garden with the following conditions: 1. Community garden approval is contingent upon City o f Oshkosh Redevelopment Authority approval and will be required on a yearly basis. 2. Applicant is responsible for maintenance of the sub ject site including mowing, trimming, weeding and keeping the site as orderly a s possible. 3. Applicant to provide an area away from mowed areas for rocks and stones. 4. Any changes to the garden plan must be approved thr ough the Planning Services Division. 5. If a compost area is to be provided, it shall be pl aced in such a way as to be out of sight as much as possible and be enclosed to preven t rodents. Final design/placement to be approved by the Planning Ser vices Division. 6. No permanent or temporary structures are permitted on site with the exception of fencing and composting structures. 7. Applicants will be required to develop rules and pr ocedures for garden users. Rules will have final approval by the Planning Serv ices Division. Rules and regulations must include, but are not limited to, t he following: a. Community garden is to be used for recreational gar dening and for personal or family use. Only off-site commercial sales are allo wed. b. Participants may garden during daylight hours only. Participants may garden any day of the week. c. Gardeners are to supply their own tools, water cans , etc. and these items are not to be left on site. d. Pets are not allowed in the garden area, except for service animals. e. Unsupervised children are not allowed in the garden area. f. Smoking, alcohol, profanity, yelling, and loud musi c are prohibited. g. Gardeners are expected to keep the garden free of w eeds. h. Small animals may be trapped but not poisoned. i. Any debris and trash, other than compost materials, will be removed from the site. j. Gardeners are responsible for end-of-season clean u p and to leave soil as they found it at the beginning of the growing season. Ga rdeners will remove all non-plant material, including weed-block fabric, pl astic pots, wire tomato cages, stakes, tools, etc. at the end of the season . k. Parking is not permitted on site. 4/25/2012 RDA memo 4 RECOMMENDATION The Redevelopment Authority approves the Community Garden with the conditions listed on the Conditional Use Permit. Resolution 12-06 Determination of Necessity; Establ ish Fair market Value; Authorize Purchase / 107 West 8 th Avenue The owner of the property at 107 West 8 th Ave. approached the City regarding possible purcha se of the property upon her moving to a senior housing facility. The proposed purchase price is $45,000. The assessed value of the house is $81,80 0. Since the owner approached the City, there would be no relocation costs, nor requirement for appraisals. As indicated by the attached photos and the attached information, the owner’s of fer appears to be a good offer for the City. RECOMMENDATION The RDA approves the Determination of Necessity, Es tablish a Fair Market Value of $45,000 and authorizes the purchase of 107 W. 8th Ave. Discussion on Proposal for Sale of a Portion of Vac ant Lot at 139 W . 6 th Avenue to 600 Oregon Street The owner of 600 Oregon Street approached staff abo ut purchasing a portion of 139 W. 6 th Avenue. The RDA directed staff to research this an d staff can provide the additional information. A Certified Survey Map must be done to transfer the property between the platted lots. The estimated cost for a surveyor to do the work would be about $1,000. The size of the proposed area is 24 ft. x 90 ft., o r 1,890 square feet. According to the City Assessor, the land value would be about $5.55 per s quare foot. The total land value for the proposed property would then total $11,988. There would also be closing costs of about $500. RECOMMENDATION The RDA directs staff to sell the property for $11,988 and all RDA costs. 4/25/2012 RDA memo 5 Update on Fishing Structures at the end of Michigan Street The City of Oshkosh Landmarks Commission, the Winne bago County Historical Society, and the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway have all express ed their interest in studying the historical significance of, and the possible alternatives for, the fishing structures. Due to these requests, the City Manager has directed staff to cease legal research activities. The organizations now have an opportunity to study the fishing structures for possible historical, cultural, or tourism values and make recommendations to the City for pos sible incorporation of the structures into the riverwalk redevelopment plan. This delay in re searching the legal aspects of these structures will not delay the planned construction of the rive rwalk in this area. There is no timeline on when their reviews will be completed. Executive Director’s Report Status of City Center Riverwalk from Jackson Street to Main Street Staff is working on the final easement with the new Hotel property owners and expects to have all the pieces of the project arranged in May. We also expect to be able to award the Hotel section as a Bid Alternate in May as well. The pr oject should start in mid-May, work around the boating season, and finish construction by the end of 2012. Status of Riverwalk Improvement Projects on the Sou th Shore of the Fox River The WisDNR has awarded the City a grant of $545,000 for the installation of the riverwalk from the Wisconsin Avenue Bridge to the east to the fish ing pier and 4 th Ave. The engineer is working on design plans which include redecking the fishing pier. Construction is planned for 2012. Staff has scheduled a neighborhood meeting w ith the property owners to review the riverwalk design.